Police signaling and controlling system.



a. c. LAMB. POLICE SIGNALING AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, 1909. 1,006,235. Patented 0C1 17,1911.

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- C. G. LAMB.

POLICE SIGNALING AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 0015, 1909,

1,006,235 Patented Oct. 17,1911.

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G. C. LAMB. POLICE SIGNALING AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 5, 1909.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

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G. G. LAMB.

POLICE SIGNALING AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED 0M. 5, 1909.

1,006,235, Y Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

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tiniTnn sTATEs PATENT oriucn.

CHARLES C. LAMB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENNETT I-IALLENSTEIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

POLICE SIGNALING- AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. LAMB, acitizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Police Signaling and Con trolling Systems, of which the following is a clear, complete, full, and concise specification.

My invention relates to police signaling and controlling systems, having for its object improved construction and arrangement of signaling, controlling and checking mechanism which will enable more efficient police work to be accomplished with a less number of men than is necessary in prior systems.

In prior systems a police oificer assigned to a certain beat could travel this beat in any manner, the only requirements being that he call up and report from certain stations at certain times. In these systems it is necessary to maintain a large corps of inspectors, patrol sergeants and other ofiicers to check up on the work of the patrolmen to see that the beats are properly patrolled. In these systems also it is very diiiicult and sometimes impossible to signal an officer from a central exchange in order to give him special instructions, and the signal boxes are also provided with inadequate and inefficient means for signaling back or communicating with the central station. The result is that reserve patrolmen must be kept at the various stations, and the general inefficiency of these prior systems lies in the inability of the higher oflicers to know to a certainty the exact location of each and every patrol man on the force, this location being more or less guess work, the result being that considerable and valuable time is oftentimes lost during which oiienders can readily escape. In these prior systems no provision is made at the signal boxes for enabling a private citizen to give an alarm. This is very desirable, and when an offense or crime has been detected by a private individual, he can sound the alarm before waiting for an oiiicer to arrive.

An important and salient object of my invention is to provide a system, which will automatically check up the work of each and every patrolman and will give indication at all times of the exact location of the patrolmen on. their respective beats so that a cen- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 5, 1909.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

Serial No. 521,136.

tral operator can in the shortest time signal a patrolman and give him instructions. This is accomplished by providing at each precmct a chart or map showmg the exact geog raphy of the precinct and being provided with traveling members, each indicating a patrolman, which members are caused to travel over the chart along the routes of the various beats, the rate of travel of the members belng uniform and of a speed at which the patrolman must travel. At points on the chart which coincide with the location of patrolmen at the signal boxes, these signals being answered by the patrolmen at the various boxes, and the regularity of actuation of these precinct signals will determine the accuracy with which the patrolmen travel their beats.

Another important object of my invention is to provide such intercommuiiicating and signaling connection between the precinct and the various signaling boxes, so that the patrolmen can be signaled at any time and communicated with, the operator knowing just what signal box to call by virtue of the synchronous system above referred to. The exact location of every patrolman being known any patrolman can be called at any time without any waste of time, thus doing away with inspectors, messengers and reserve forces at the stations.

Another important object of my invention lies in the signal box equipment, each signal box being connected with the precinct exchange by electrical circuit, and connections are provided at each signal box whereby a patrolman can hold telephone conversation with the central operator or can give telegraphic signals. Mechahism is also provided whereby a citizen may send signals over the circuits to the central operator, but in so doing he is automatically physically locked to the box and cannot be released until the officer of the particular beat arrives or central has signaled another officer. This will prevent mischievous persons from sending in an alarm, while a well meaning person can immediately send in an alarm with out having to hunt up a patrolman.

In my system, when an alarm is sent in to the precinct exchange, any number, or all the patrolmen of the precinct from which the alarm originated can be signaled by the central operator and immediately sent to the locality from which the alarm originated, owing to the ability of locating definitely all the patrolmen, and, therefore, no time is lost after an alarm is given and the chance of escape of the offenders is very much diminished. Trunk connect-ion between the various precincts will enable the operators to call to their assistance the patrolmen of other precincts. In my system also each precinct is provided at a central point with a general alarm signal which is sounded by the central operator when she receives an alarm, this general alarm signal giving notice to all patrolmen or citizens within hear ing that an offense or crime has been committed, and the actuation of this general alarm can be telegraphed so that the locality of the crime can be announced. The general alarm can also be actuated in accordance with a certain code to describe the offender if such description has been given the central operator.

Duplicate charts of the precinct charts can be grouped together at some point, as at the office of the chief of police and, if desired, can be connected with the precinct signal boxes and with the precinct exchanges, so that the operation of the entire system can be observed and also the work of the precinct operators checked up.

My system also incorporates other improved features of both construction, arrangement and operation, all the various features being brought out in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents diagrammatically the territory covered by a precinct, and the central exchange equipment with which the various signal boxes of the precinct are connected by electrical circuits; Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows the hart at the precinct exchange which chart accurately represents the geography of the precinct represented by Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken from plane 3-3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken from plane 44, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a side View of a signal box; Fig. 6 is a plan view taken on-plane 66, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a back view with back of easing removed, and Fig. 8 is a front view with parts broken away.

Referring to Fig. 1 the precinct is shown as including 16 city blocks and the intersecting streets and avenues. The signaling boxes 8 are provided, one for each block, and arranged so that a patrolman walking through the streets is never more than one block distant from a box. The precinct exchange E may be equipped with any central exchange, telephonic circuits and apparatus connected through wires with the various signal boxes. As shown a plurality of spring jacks are numbered from 1 to 16 in accordance with the number of blocks in the precinct, the sleeve and tip springs 20 and 21 of each jack being connected through conductors 23 and 24 which lead to the correspondingly numbered signal box. Each sleeve spring has a normal contact 25 connecting through a conductor 26 with a common conductor 27 and through a conductor 28 with the positive pole of a common battery B. The tip springs of all the jacks are connected together and through conductor 29 to the negative pole of the battery. In each. conductor 26 may be included suitable and any number of signal devices. As shown, each of these conductors includes, serially, a telephone drop relay 30 and an electro-magnet 31. The drop 32 of each drop relay when released by the armature controlled detent arm 33 falls against a contact 34 to close a local electrical circuit including a signal giving device 35 and battery 36. The device 35 may be an audible signal, or a visual signal such as a lamp. Each electro-magnet 31 may control a telegraphic code, sounding and printing mechanism 37 which may be of any well known construction. Spring jacks 7'0 and jp connect with trunk line t and t, respectively. The precinct operators cord circuit comprises an answering plug 38 and a calling plug 39, each having tip and sleeve contacts as shown, the tip and sleeve contacts being connected together by cord strands 40 and 41, respectively, key sections 42 and 43 being interposed. Actuation of key section 42 causes connection of the operators telephone set 44 with the cord strands, and actuation of the key section 43 causes connection of the ringing generator 45 with the strand sections leading to the ringing plug 39. The sleeve strand section of the answering plug 38 connects through conductor 46 with the positive pole of battery B. Preferably at the central part of the precinct is located an alarm device such as the single stroke alarm bell 47 as illustrated, the conductors 48 and 49 connecting terminals of the bell magnets with the battery conductors 28 and 29, the circuit controlling key being included in one of the bell conductors and located to be actuated by the exchange operator.

Each signal box is provided with a plurality of signal receiving and sending devices and is shown fully in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8. As diagrammatically represented at block 4 of Fig. 1, each signal box has a sig nal bell 51 bridged across the corresponding conductors 23 and 24, condenser 52 being interposed, these bells being responsive to current flow from the alternating current generator 45 when the ringing plug 39 is inserted in the corresponding jack and the key section 43 actuated. Each signal box is equipped with code mechanisms 53, 54 and 55, each including code teeth and a contact and adapted upon actuation to short circuit the line to cause code signals to be given at the coresponding receiving device 37 the code sending devices, however, being normally open. The manner of actuating the code signal devices is illustrated fully in the detailed figures referred to. The mechanism 53 is adapted for actuation by citizens or by persons other than those having keys to the signal box, while the mechanisms 54 5 QPIQCIDCt stat-1011 1s equippel with a chart C 5011 which are supported blocks arranged in and 55 are'accessible only on opening of the box and are intended only for the patrolmen or those having keys. The mechanism 54 may be bridged by a key 56 so that the line can be short circuited to produce code signals at the central exchange other than those fixed by the code teeth of mechanism 54.

With the arrangement thus far described a patrolman or other person having a key can open a signal box and cause actuation of the code mechanisms 54 and 55 which will be received at the central exchange, and

persons not provided with keys can efiect signals by actuating mechanism 53. Supposing that one of these mechanisms at signal box 4 is actuated, current will flow from battery B through conductor 28,

through conductor 27 through electro-maghim of mechanism 55 as is shown in detail net 31 and drop relay associated with jack 4, through contact 25 and sleeve spring 20 on jack 4, through conductor 23 leading to signal box 4, thence through the actuated mechanism to conductor 24 leading to box 4, thence to tip spring 21 of jack 4 and to the common tip spring conductor 29 back to battery B. This circuit causes actuation of the drop relay 30 and closure of the circuit of the signal giving device and it will also cause actuation of the signaling mechanism 37 associated with jack 4 to give audible and visual interpretation of the signal originated by signal box mechanism. The operator can immediately observe from which signal box the signals emanate and can tell which of the code mechanisms at the box was actuated as each of the mechanisms is arranged to give a different code signal. If mechanism has been actuated the operator understands that the signaling patrolman desires to communicate telephonically with the central exchange and the operator inserts answering plug 38 into jack 4, and actuates key section 42 to connect in her telephone set. In accordance with my system each patrolman carries a telephone set which he can automatically connect across the line upon actuation by in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. When plug 39 is inserted the sleeve spring of jack 4 is disconnected from contact 25 and the talking, circuit is as follows.:-from the tip of of the circuit through conductor 46 and to the tip side of the circuit through the conductor 29 and the tip springs.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, each the same order as the city blocks of the preicinct and each of these can be marked to 1nd1cate the exact geography of the correisponding city blocks.

As shown, block 7 50f the chart is marked to indicate all the i cinct.

alleys and buildings of block 7 of the pre- Each precinct operator, therefore,

has before him the exact geography of the precinct over which he has control. Each beat of a precinct can be arranged in anyprecinct blocks.

desired way to encircle any number of the As shown, the precinct is divided into eight beats, four longitudinal beats each including a longitudinal row of four blocks, and four transverse beats each including a row of four transverse blocks.

The beats thus overlap so that each patrolvman, besides traveling his own beat, will intersect and travel parts of the other patrolmens beats, and if the patrolmen start on their beats from equi-distant points and travel at the same rate, the distance between patrolmen will remain constant and patrolmen would always be uniformly distributed over the precinct.

One main object of my invention is to provide signaling and controlling means which will maintain such uniform disposition of the patrolmen and which will give indication as soon as such uniform disposition is varied from.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, I have diagrammatically represented the equipment of each chart block and the circuits which connect these equipments with precinct sig nal box equipment. Each block at its upper corner pivots upper pulleys 56 for receiv cinct blocks 4, 8, 12 and 16. At each block For example, the upper corner the upper and lower pulleys are pivoted 011 a vertical shaft 60 extending through the block so that the upper and lower pulleys may rotate in different directions independently of each other. One pulley however for each upper belt is secured to its shaft 60 which as indicated at 60 extends downwardly below the chart and terminates in a beveled gear 62, and likewise a pulley for each lower belt is secured to its shaft 60 which as indicated at 61 extends downwardly and terminates in a bevel pinion. 63. As shown, the lower front left pulley 56 of blocks 4, 8, 12 and 16 are thus rigidly connected with the bevel pinions 62 and the upper rear right pulleys 56 of blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4 are rigidly connected with the bevel pinions 63. Each belt, therefore, has one of its supporting pulleys connected with a drive pinion. Extending underneath the chart and below the row of driving pinions 62 is a driving shaft 64, which may be journaled in bearing frames 65 extending from the chart and which is driven by suitable time controlled driving mechanisms 66, Associated with each pinion 62 and mounted on shaft 64 are forward and reverse drive bevel pinions 67 and 68 adapted for alternate meshing connection with pinion 62 upon actuation of the clutch fork 69 engaging in grooves 7 O and 71 on the drive pinions. A clutch actuating lever 72 pivoted to the chart connects with the clutch fork and extends above the chart through a slot 73. Extending below the pinion 63 is a shaft 74 which is journaled in bearing frames 75 extending from the chart, this shaft having at one end a transmission pinion 76 meshing with a pinion 77 on driving shaft 64. Associated with each pinion 63 are driving pinions and clutch mechanism which are identical with that associated with the pinions 62. The time controlled drive mechanism 66 is set to rotate the shafts to cause the various belts to travel at a uniform rate which is the rate at which the patrolmen must travel along their beats.

Each block on the chart is provided at. its edge with contact members 78 and 79 which are located in a position corresponding exactly to the position of the signal box in the corresponding precinct block. Contact members 80 are adapted to be secured to the belts at any point and each carries a wiper 81 for connecting together the con tacts 78 and 79 as the belts travel about the chart blocks. The contact members have also identification numbers corresponding to the star numbers of the patrolmen. One of these contact members is secured to each belt and will represent and identify the patrolman traveling the corresponding beat.

Referring to Fig. 2 the contact mechanism on belt 57 is in position in engagement with contacts 78 and 79 on block 1 and the patrolman should at this time be at the signal box on precinct block 1. Belt 57 en circles the blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4 and travels in the direction of the arrow indicated and the contact mechanism on said block will next reach the contacts on block 3, and as the patrolman must travel at the same rate as the belt travels, he will reach the signal box on block 3 when the contacts on chart block 3 are connected together. The contact mechanism next engages contacts on block 4, then the contacts on block 2 and then again the contacts on block 1, the patrolmen reaching the various corresponding signal boxes in the same order. At each signal box there is also a signal device such as a lamp 82. One terminal of each of the lamps of the signal boxes of a beat connects with a common conductor 83 which connects with battery conductor 28, a resistance 1' being interposed in conductor 83 to control the current flow. The other terminals of the lamps of a beat connect with con ductors 84 which lead to the chart at the precinct station, the conductor 84 from the lamp of signal box of precinct 1 connecting with contact 78 on chart block 1 and the conductors 84 from precinct boxes 2, 3 and 4 connecting with the contacts 78 of chart blocks 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The contacts 79 of the chart blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4 each connect with a common conductor 85 which leads from battery conductor 29 and each of these connections includes a lamp 86. All the other belt block groups of the chart have their contacts connected with similar circuits and with the lamps 82 of the corresponding beat block groups. With this circuit arrangement, whenever a set of contacts 78 and 79 is engaged by a wiper 81, the lamps of the corresponding chart and precinct blocks are connected serially in a bridge across the battery.

Each of the lamps when connected alone with the battery will be at full candle power, but when connected two in series .will be only at half candle power. Each signal box lamp 82 is bridged by a short circuiting switch 86 and each chart block lamp 86 is bridged by a short circuiting switch 87,

and if either one of the short circuiting switches in a closed circuit is actuated, the short circuited lamp will go out, but the other lamp will go up to full voltage and full candle power. Referring again, for example, to the beat including blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4, the lamp circuit is closed at chart block 1, the short circuiting switch being open and the lamps at half power. The patrolman opens the box and can report to the precinct exchange. He can actuate the short circuiting switch 86 to cause the exchange lamp to come to full candle power which will notify the operator that the officer has reached the signal box of block 1 in time, or the patrolman can actuate code mechanism 53 to cause operation of the central exchange code mechanism 37 to indicate the number of the signal box of block 1. The patrolman can also connect his telephone set and thereby actuate code mechanism 55 to notify the operator that the partolman desires to communicate telephonically and the operator then inserts answering plug 38 in spring jack 1 to receive the message.

If the patrolmans telephone apparatus is out of order he can send his communication by actuating the short circuiting switch 86 in accordance with a code which will cause the lamp of chart block 1 to flash the message. The patrolman can also actuate switch 56 to send a code message over the v telephone line which will be received by the corresponding code mechanism 37 at the central exchange. The patrolman has thus a plurality of means whereby he can signal the operator and send messages. The wiper 81 is of sufllcient length to prolong its engagement With the contacts 78 and 79 to give the patrolman sufficient time to open the box and to give his report signal. If the signal to central calls for telephonic connection or for other prolonged communication, the operator will immediately actuate the clutch lever 72 corresponding to the beat to stop the belt 57. After conclusion of such prolonged connection, the belt is again started and the patrolman assumes his travel toward the next signal box, the contact mechanism 80 traveling in synchronism to reach the contacts at chart block 3 at the same time that the patrolman reaches the signal box of precinct block 3. If the patrolman should fail to reach the signal box during the time that the Wiper 81 passes over the contacts of chart block 3 the lamp of chart block 3 will fail to light up and the operator is informed of the failure of the patrolman to reach the signal box on time.

The operator, therefore, immediately stops the belt and waits a short time for a signal from the patrolman. It may be that the patrolman has been delayed, but his order will be to call up immediately at the nearest box after such delay, whereupon he again assumes his proper position on the beat and the belt is again started. After failure of the chart lamp signal to operate, the operator can also connect the ringing plug 39 with spring jack 3 and ring the bell at signal box 3 at which the patrolman should be in order to attract his attention. If the operator fails to receive any response he can insert the calling plug in spring jack connected with the signal box near which he knows a patrolman of one of the other beats ought to be and he can notify this patrolman of the failure of the first patrolman to signal from box 3 and can give instruction and instructions.

tions to the second patrolman to go to the beat of the first patrolman to ascertain the trouble. No time is wasted in calling one or more other patrolmen, as the operator by consulting the chart can determine the exact location of any patrolman of the precinct and knows just where to reach him the quickest. Each set of contacts 78 and 79 has also a short circuiting switch or bar 88 which enables the operator to close a light circuit independently of the wiper 81.

Upon failure of the patrolman to report from signal box of block 3, the operator can short circuit the contacts at chart block 3 and can actuate the short circuiting key 87 to flash the lamp at the signal box of block 3 to attract the attention of the officer if he is near. The shortcircuit bar 88 can also be used by the operator to flash the lamp at a signal box which the patrolman is approaching to give the patrolman a visual signal to hasten to the box. Thus the operator is also provided with a plurality of means for both visual and audible signaling of the patrolman. If the operator receives a signal from a box which requires extraordinary services, he will actuate switch 50 to close circuit through the general alarm bell 47 which will give a general alarm signal to all the patrolmen of the precinct and to all persons hearing the alarm that their services will be required,

and after giving the general alarm the operator can actuate the general alarm bell in accordance with a code to thus telegraph messages.

These messages can give the number of a slgnal box from which the-patrolman has sent in the alarm, or the parilZlCUlil-I' location at whlch help is deslred. The operator can also signal a description of the particular offense and of the offender so that apprehension of the offender will more readily result. If additional help is required from outside the precinct the operator telephones other precincts by means of spring jacks p and the operators at the other precincts can issue the proper instructions to any number of patrolmen or can slgnal from the general alarm bell of the precincts. Thus, after an alarm has been turned in from a signal box, any amount of help can be immediately reached and despatched to any locality with full informa- Each precinct operator can also communicate with the oilice of the chief of police over the trunk line 25 and can receive instructions from the chief.

By means of the clutch mechanisms for the various belts the direction of travel of any belt can be reversed upon instructions to the patrolman to reverse the direction of travel over his beat. At times it is very desirable to have a patrolman suddenly reverse the direction of travel of his beat and the operator is enabled to accomplish this as she knows exactly where to reach the patrolman, and after giving him instructions to reverse his direction of travel, he actuates the corresponding clutch mechanism to reverse the direction of travel of the belt.

At the office of the chief of police there can be duplicate charts of all the precinct charts so that the chief can have before him the entire city and the location of each patrolman. The chiefs ofiice will also have telegraphic apparatus like that at the precinct stations and connected with the trunk lines 25 so that the chief can communicate with any precinct operator.

Figs. 5 to 8 which have already been re ferrecl to show in detail the equipment at the signal boxes. The box has the inclosing casing 90 having a door 91. The box has also the vertical partition 92 a short distance in from the door 91 to form a compartment 93. Extending between this partition and the rear wall of the casing is a frame 94 forming a compartment 95, the left side of the casing being supported by an intermediate wall 96, as best shown in Fig. 8. In the wall 96 is a circular opening 97 of sufficient size to receive a finger, and normally closing this opening is a trap door 98 hinged at its lower edge to the wall 96 by hinges 99, a spring 100 tending to hold the trap door in closed position against the wall 96. Carried by the wall 96 is a code mechanism 53 already referred to, the actuating button 101 for this code mechanism extending into chamber 95 through the opening 102 in the door 98, this button being inaccessible until the trap door has been swung open a suflicient distance. In the side wall 103 and in register with the opening 97 is a larger opening 104 for allowing the insertion of a hand into the compartment 105 formed between the walls 96 and 103. This entry of a hand allows a finger to be inserted through opening 97 to swing open the door 98 and to actuate the button 101, the wrist of the inserted hand being in the opening 104 during such actuating position of the finger. Pivoted at their lower ends to wall 103 and in compartment 105 are aw members 106 and 107 which are cut out at intermediate parts to form opposed hand cufi' sections 108 and 109 adjacent the entrance opening 104. A lever 110 pivoted at an intermediate point to the wall 103 has slots 111 and 112 at its ends pivotally receiving screws 113 and 114, respectively, extending from the members 106 and 107 above the hand cufi, sections. A compression spring 115 is interposed between an abutment bracket 116 and the member 106, the pressure of the spring being communicated through lever 110 and the member 107 whereby the spring tends to cause the members to be brought together to encircle the wrist of an inserted hand. From the upper end of the member 107 extends forwardly a ratchet arm 117 whose teeth are engaged by a detent pawl 118, this pawl serving to lock the hand-cuff members in the position to which they havebeen moved by the spring 115. The front end of arm 117 extends into the compartment 93 and the pawl 118 has an actuating arm 119 also extending into compartment 93.

In the front wall of frame 94 is cut a segmental slot 120 whose center is the pivot line of hinges 99. Through this slot and into the compartment 93 extends a cam tongue 121 which is carried by the trap door 98. Pivoted in compartment 93 to the wall 92 is a latch member 122 whose right end 122 extends across the slot 120 and whose left end 123 is adapted to engage in the latch hook 124 extending from hand-cuff member 107 through the Wall 92 and into compartment 93. During the normal condition of a signal box, the hand-cuff members are spread apart and the latch end 123 of lever 121 is held in engagement with hook 124 by a spring 125 extending between the hand 122 and the frame 94. l/Vhen a hand is inserted in the box and the trap door 98 swung inwardly, the tongue 121 engages against the end 122 and the front end of the lever is raised out of the hook 124 whereupon spring 115 immediately becomes eifective to bring together the hand-cuff members to imprison the wrist of the inserted hand and the hand-cuff members cannot be released until pawl 118 is raised.

As soon as a signal is given at the central exchange upon actuation of the mechanism 53, the operator can despatch a patrolman to a box and the patrolman opens the door 91. He then raises pawl 118 and pulls forwardly the arm 117 to open the hand cufis to release the hand therefrom. Before leaving the box the patrolman again sets the hand cuffs by engaging the lever end 123 in the hook 124. The information obtained by the otlicer from the person who sent in the alarm can be communicated to the central exchange telephonically or telegraphically. If the OfiIlCGI desires to telephone the information he inserts suit-able terminals of the telephone leads into the openings 126 and 127 to connect his telephone instrument across the line conductors 23 and 24 and the arrangement can be such that the connection of the telephone set will be accompanied by a depression of actuating button 128 to cause actuation of code mechanism 55 to give a signal to the operator before the telephone is inserted to indicate to the operator that the patrolman desires to telephone. the telephone set leads terminate in a block 129 carrying contact pins 130 and 131 which pins enter the openings 126 and 127 to en- As .shown in Fig. 6, a

gage the terminals 132 and 133 connected with the telephone line, the insertion of the pins being accompanied by the depression of the actuating button 128 to actuate the code mechanism 55. If the patrolman desires to telegraph the information he will actuate button 56 which is bridged across the telephone line. If he merely wishes to send in the number of the box during the ordinary travel of the beat he presses the button 134 to actuate the code mechanism 53. The code mechanism can be of any construction. As shown in Fig. 6, they may all be constructed like the mechanism 53 in which the actuating button connects with a pivoted. sector 135 having code teeth 136 adapted for engagement with the contact spring 137. In a compartment 138 formed at the lower part of the box the signal bells 51 and the condenser 52 can be arranged, the connection with the telephone line being as indicated in Fig. 1.

The signal lamp 82 connected with the synchronous system already described is mounted at the top of the partition 92 and the lamp holder 139 may extend to the exterior of the front of the box so that the light can be seen from diiferent directions. This lamp, as has already been described, is normally at half candle power, but will glow at full candle power upon closure of the shunting switch at the central exchange. Likewise the patrolman can cause the signal lamp on the chart to glow at full candle power by pressing button 86 to short circuit the lamp 82, as has already been shown.

I thus provide a system which enables central exchange operators to check up accurately on the exact location of the patrol men. Patrolmen must travel over their beats in certain order and at a certain rate, and failure to do so will immediately become known at the central stations from which the patrolmen can be signaled and called any time and almost immediately. If the patrolman should fail to properly sig nal and cannot be reached, many other pa trolmen are immediately accessible who can be sent after the delinquent patrolman. Likewise when an alarm is sent in from any signalbox, any or all the patrolmen of any number of precincts can be individually signaled and instructed, or the operator who receives the alarm signal can sound the general alarm of the particular precinct and can signal other operators to sound general alarm signals of other precincts. The various signaling devices can, of course, be either visual or audible. For example, the general alarm signal can be a bell, a light or a semaphore device, all controlled electrically from the central exchange. The general alarm signal could also be in the form of a whistle actuated by compressed air controlled electrically or otherwise from patrolmen knowing that they can receive prompt assistance will have no hesitancy in arrestmg any ofienders and llkewlse private cltlzens Wlll be more enthuslastic in helping to apprehend offenders and in cooperat-' ing with the police department. Citizens or other persons not possessing keys will be locked to the box when sending in an alarm and will thus be held until the arrival of the patrolman who will extract from them full information, and if the one who sent in the alarm has done so mischievously, he can himself be arrested and punished. This imprisonment feature has, therefore, atendency to eliminate willful and mischievous sending in of alarms.

The synchronous system by means of which the location of the patrolmen can at all times be determined, makes it unnecessary for any one to ascertain the number of the policeman whom it is desired to report for some neglect. If a citizen desires to report neglect on the part of any patrolman he need only advise the central operator or any police official of the location of the oflicer and the time at which the ofiicer was guilty of neglect whereupon the ofiicers name and number can readily be ascertained from the central exchange. This will have a tendency to make the patrolmen more courteous and more attentive to the proper exercise of their duties. 7

I do not wish to be limited, of course, to the exact apparatus, arrangement and circuits which I have shown, as they are shown more or less diagrammatically, and many other arrangements and constructions are possible which would still come within the scope of my invention.

I desire to secure the following claims by Letters Patent.

1. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, a chart at the central exchange representing geographically the district covered by the precinct, indicating members at the central exchange, and means for causing said members to move over the chart in paths corresponding to the beats to be traveled over the precinct.

2. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, a plurality of signal stations ice distributed over the precinct, signaling mechanism at each station, and means at the central exchange operating automatically to actuate said signaling apparatus to indicate the beats to be traveled by patrolmen of the precinct.

3. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination 0]": a precinct central exchange, a chart at the central exchange representing geographically the pre cinctto be controlled by the exchange, indicating members, means for causing the indicating members to travel over the chart in fixed paths, signaling stations distributed over the precinct and each having signaling apparatus, and means whereby the signaling apparatus at the signal stations are successively actuated upon travel of the members over the chart whereby beats are indicated over the precinct corresponding to the paths traveled by the members over the chart.

4. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, a plurality of signal stations distributed over the precinct, signal apparatus at each station, said precinct being divided into a plurality of beats each including a number of said signal stations, a chart at the central exchange representing geographically the precinct to be controlled from the exchange, stationary contacts situated on said, chart in accordance with the locations of the signal stations of the precinct, contact members, means for causing said contact members to travel in paths over the chart in accordance with the beats to be traveled over the precinct, and electrical circuits connecting the contacts of each path with the signal apparatus of the stations of each beat, the cont-act member of each path engaging successively with the contacts of the path whereby said electrical circuits are successively rendered effective and the signal apparatus of the stations of each beat successively actuated.

5. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, a plurality of signal stations distributed over the precinct, signal apparatus at each station, said precinct being divided into a plurality of beats each including a number of said signal stations, a chart at the central exchange showing geographically the precinct to be controlled from the exchange, said chart being divided into paths representative of the beats to be traveled over the precinct, a plurality of contacts included in each path and located in accordance with the location of the corresponding beat signal stations, electrical circuits connecting the contacts of each path with the signal apparatus of the signal stations of the corresponding beat, a contact member for each path, and means for causing the contact members to travel about their respective paths at a rate equal to the rate of travel of a patrolman over the beats, each contact member engaging successively with the contacts of its path to successively energize electrical circuits whereby the signal apparatus of the stations of each beat are successively actuated.

in accordance with the location of the cor-' responding beat, signal stations, electrical circuits connecting the contacts of each path with the signal apparatus of the signal stations of the corresponding beat, a contact member for each path, means for causing the contact members to travel about their respective paths at a rate equal to the rate of travel of patrolmen over the beats, each contact member engaging successively with the contacts of its path to successively energize electrical circuits whereby the signal apparatus of the stations of each beat are successively actuated, circuit controlling mechanism associated with each circuit at the stations and signal receiving mechanism associated with each of the corresponding contacts at the exchange whereby signals can be sent from the stations to the central exchange.

7. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a. precinct central exchange, a plurality of signal stations distributed over the precinct to be controlled by the exchange, signal apparatus at each station, a chart at the central exchange geographically representing the precinct to be controlled by the exchange, the precinct being divided into a plurality of beats each including a number of the signal stations, members at the central exchange distributed over the chart to represent the patrolmen traveling the precinct beats, means for automatically causing travel of said members over the chart and along paths corresponding to the beats and in synchronism with the patrolmen traveling over the beats, and electrical circuits connecting the signal apparatus of the stations with said central exchange.

8. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, signal stations distributed over the precinct to be controlled from the exchange, said precinct being divided into a plurality of beats each including a number of said signal stations, a chart at the central exchange geographically representing the precinct controlled by the exchange, a plurality of contact members distributed over the chart in accordance With the distribution of patrolmen traveling the precinct beats, signal apparatus at each signal station, electrical circuits connecting said signal apparatus With the central exchange, means at the central exchange for causing travel of the contact members in paths representing the precinct beats and in synchronismwvith the patrolmen traveling said beats, said contact members controlling said electrical circuits to successively actuate the signal apparatus of the various beats.

9. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, a plurality of signal stations distributed over the precinct, said precinct being divided into a plurality of beats each including a number of signal stations, a chart at the central exchange geographically representing the precinct to be controlled by the exchange, signal mechanism at each precinct station, electrical circuits connecting said mechanisms With the central exchange, contact members distributed over said chart, means for causing said contact members to travel in paths corresponding to the beats traveled by partolmen over the precinct, each contact member traveling through one of said paths to be successively associated with electrical circuits at points along the path corresponding to the locations of the signal stations on the corre sponding beat, each association of a contact member With said circuits causing actuation of the signal mechanism at the corresponding signal station of the beat.

10. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, said precinct being divided into a plurality of beats each including a certain area of the precinct, a chart at the central exchange geographically representing the precinct to be controlled, belts associated With said chart and each including a section of the chart representing the corresponding area of the precinct, an indicating member carried by each belt, and means for driving said belt to carry the indicating members through paths on said chart corresponding to the beats traveled by patrolmen on the precinct.

11. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, said precinct being divided into a plurality of beats each including a certain area of the precinct, a chart at the central exchange geographically representing the precinct to be controlled, belts associated With said chart and each including a section of the chart representing the corresponding area of the precinct, an indicating member carried by each belt, means for driving said belt to carry the indicating members through paths on said chart corresponding to the beats traveled by patrolmen on the precinct, signal stations for each beat having signal mechanism, contacts on the chart located to correspond With the positions of the signal stations of the beats, electrical circuits connecting the signal mechanisms With corresponding contacts, and means whereby the indicating members cooperate With said contacts to control the circuits to cause successive actuation of the signal mechanisms of the signal stations of each beat.

12. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, a chart at the central exchange representing geographically the district covered by the precinct, indicating members at the central exchange, means for causing said members to move over the chart in paths corresponding to the beats to be traveled over the precinct, and signaling mechanism automatically controlled by said members during movement thereof.

13. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, signal receiving mechanism at each station, mechanism at the central exchange for automatically controlling successive actuation of the signal mechanisms at the signal stations, and means at the cen tral station for indicating Which station signal mechanism is being actuated.

14. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, a plurality of signal stations distributed over the precinct, an electrical circuit connecting each signal station With the central exchange, a signal device for each circuit at its signal station and a signal device for each circuit at the central exchange, a source of current at the central exchange for supplying current to the circuits, the signal devices of each circuit being normally subjected to reduced current flow, and a current controlling device for each circuit at its signal station and a current controlling device for each circuit at the central exchange, each current controlling device being adapted When actuated to cause increased current flow through the associated circuit and signal devices.

15. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, a pluralityof signal stations distributed over the precinct, an electrical circuit connecting each signal station with the central exchange, a signal device for each circuit at its signal station and a signal device for each circuit at the central exchange, a source of current at the central exchange for supplying current to the circuits, the signal devices of each circuit being normally subjected to reduced current flow, a current controlling device for each circuit at its signal station and a current controlling device for each circuit at the central exchange, each current controlling device being adapted when actuated to cause increased current flow through the associated circuit and signal devices, and mechanism for each circuit controlled to periodically close and open said circuit.

16. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, a plurality of signal stations distributed over the precinct to be controlled by the exchange, a signal device at each signal station, a companion signal device at the central exchange for each station signal device, a circuit connecting together each station signal device with its companion central exchange signal device, and means at the central exchange operating automatically to selectively and successively supply current flow to said circuits.

17. In a police signaling and controlling system the combination of a precinct central exchange, a chart at the central exchange representing geographically the precinct to be controlled, indicating members, means for causing the indicating members to travel over the chart in fixed paths corresponding to the beats laid out for the precinct, signaling stations distributed over the precinct and each having signaling apparatus, means whereby the signaling apparatus at the signaling stations are successively actuated upon travel of the members over the chart, and a companion signal apparatus at the central exchange for each signal station signaling apparatus and adapted to be actuated simultaneously therewith.

18. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, a chart at the central exchange representing geographically the precinct to be controlled by the exchange, indicating members, means for causing the indicating members to travel over the chart in fixed paths, signaling stations distributed over the precinct and each having signaling apparatus, means whereby the signaling apparatus at the signal stations are successively actuated upon travel of the members over the chart whereby beats are indicated over the precinct corresponding to the paths traveled by the members over the chart, and means for controlling the direction of travel of said indicating members in their paths over the chart.

19. In a police signaling and controlling system, the combination of a precinct central exchange, said precinct being divided into a plurality of beats each including a certain area of the precinct, a chart at the central exchange geographically representing the precinct to be controlled, belts associated with said chart and each including a section of the chart representing the corresponding area of the precinct, an indicating member carried by each belt, means for driving said belt to carry the indicating members through paths on said chart corresponding to the beats traveled by patrolmen on the precinct, and means for reversing the direction of travel of said belts.

In witness hereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 30 day of Sept, 1909.

CHARLES C. LAMB.

Witnesses:

CHARLES J. SCHMIDT, J. B. LANGWORTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

